A landlocked train stop named Hikifune (Tugboat) begs a question. Two such stations in Tokyo's downtown Sumida Ward — the other is nearby Keisei Hikifune — suggest there should be some answers.

I get out at Keisei Hikifune Station on a muggy afternoon during the Bon (Festival of the Dead) holiday with two goals in mind. One is to plumb the origin of the tugboat references; the other is to purchase a yukata, a lightweight cotton summer kimono.

As if welcoming celestial ancestors home for Bon, the skies are clear, but the only river I encounter runs down my back in the stultifying heat. I have called ahead to visit an artisan of indigo textiles, but stop by Hikifune Culture Center to ask directions.